The present study describes an outbreak of trichlorfon poisoning in goats from the State University of Maringá, campus Umuarama/PR that received orally the therapeutic dose of the active ingredient in question (100mg/kg). Fifty-three sheep had been treated with the same formulation/solution and no side effects were observed in any of these sheep medicated with triclorfon. But from 20 goats medicated with trichlorfon, eight goats showed, about 40 minutes after its administration, the classic clinical signs of ataxia, external lateral decubitus, drooling, tremors, constricted pupils, noisy dyspnea, involuntary urination and defecation, spastic paresis, bloat and tearing. Almost immediately after the detection of these signals, eight goats were medicated with 1% atropine sulfate (0.5mg/kg and fluid). Five of these goats received a second dose of atropine sulfate one hour after the first application because of some clinical signs such as muscle tremor still being present. Forty-eight to 72 hours after administration of trichlorfon, three of those five goats died. At necropsy we observed cyanotic mucous membranes, congestion of liver, spleen, kidneys and mesenteric vessels, filled gallbladder, emphysema, and reddish lungs. The results of this study call attention to the outbreak that occurred in adult goats in good clinical conditions and, above all, that they received the therapeutic dosage recommended on the manufacture label. This suggests a higher sensitivity of the species to the recommended dose of trichlorfon (100mg/kg) for goats.
Poisoning; insecticide; organophosphate; triclorfon; goats
